During the summer around Calafell, Catalunya some 50 km south from Barcelona, Spain there is an an annual influx of barrel or frilly-mouthed jellyfish (Rhizostoma pulmo). They tend to arrive during warm and calm conditions while the water temperatures are 27ºC (81°F) or greater.

The area has many sheltered, shallow and gently sloping beaches. Often, you have to walk a long way to get depths of 2 meters (6 feet) or greater. They are completely sandy with no rocks on the bottom. These are excellent areas to find the jellyfish.

Rhizostoma pulmo is one of the less dangerous species of jellyfish. Accidental contact with them results in a few welts that disappear fairly quickly. Because they sting, beach users often move them out of the sea and leave them to die, rather than simply avoiding them while they are swimming.

Capturing these images is not difficult although it is easy to stir up the sandy bottom with your feet. Th best time of day is the afternoon as the light is soft and allows more creative opportunities. During the summer, the sunsets are very close to the sea offering the chance of capturing split level shots with the setting sun in the background.

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